The Last Conversation
by SparkELee
Summary: Set during The Job and a year after. What did Jim say to Karen before he went back to Scranton and to Pam? This is that conversation, and the perspective of a few others. Haven't seen this posted yet, so give it a chance... ONESHOT.


OK I haven't seen this posted anywhere, so this is my take on it.

The Last Conversation

"So… Long haul? Where do you see yourself in ten years?" David Wallace was asking him.

Jim jerked back to reality. "David… I… I'm happy in Scranton. And as much as I appreciate this offer, this opportunity, I can't… I'm pulling myself out of the running. I hope you understand, and I'm sorry for wasting your time." Jim told him, standing, his cheeks slightly red with embarrassment.

David stood along with him, concern marring his face. "Jim, please, don't apologize. May I ask why? Is it because of Michael?" David questioned.

Jim smiled sheepishly. "No, actually, it's not. It's just… Scranton is where I belong. Give this job to someone who's ready to make the commitment… I belong in Scranton." He told the CFO, offering his hand.

David smiled and shook the younger man's hand. "It was good talking with you. You're doing a fine job in Scranton." He said, clapping Jim on the shoulder.

He walked the younger man to the door, shaking hands with him before closing the door. He turned back to his desk and spotted something on the floor. It was a memo note. Thinking it was for him, he picked it up. Upon closer examination he realized it was not for him, but for Jim. He turned slightly to see if he could catch him, but he was gone.

"Jim, don't forget us when you're famous. Pam." David read aloud. He thought for a moment and recalled Jim seeming a bit off after one particular point in the interview. Was it because of this Pam person? He also remembered one other bit of information, Jim was dating Karen Fillipelli.

One man, two women… "Probably for the best…." David muttered, figuring Jim's abrupt decision to stay in Scranton had something to do with sorting things out with these two women, and that was probably more than a little time consuming.

In the darkest corner of his mind, he always knew this conversation would happen eventually, sooner or later, preferably later.

But, he was fast becoming aware of the fact that later wasn't really much of an option.

He'd walked out of an interview that would have been life altering, all for a note. For a note that didn't plead with him to come back, that didn't confess undying love, that didn't demand he make a choice. It was simple and kind, a vote of confidence, her way of saying she wanted the best for him, despite what may happen.

He got outside and sat down on the steps in front of the building, reaching into his pocket and retrieving his cell phone.

Karen was lunching with friends at Daniela Trattoria when her cell rang. Recognizing Jim's ring tone, she shushed her friends with a slightly gleeful "This is him!" and flipped her phone open.

"Hey!" She exclaimed into the phone.

He winced at her excited tone. "Hey. Where are you?" He questioned.

"Daniela Trattoria. Are you done already? We'll be finished within the next twenty minutes or so." She told him.

"Yeah, I'm done. Listen, how long does it take to get there from where I am?" He asked.

For the first time, she picked up on his tone. Smiling at her expectant friends, she got up from the table and walked over to a more private corner of the restaurant.

"Jim, what's the hurry? We have all day here. Hey, maybe we can even talk Michael into letting us take tomorrow off too. He probably wouldn't care, with everything that happened with Jan and all." She suggested, her voice taking on a slightly giddy edge.

Jim sighed. "Karen, right now I just need to talk to you. Can you just give me directions?" He asked, his voice full of desperation.

Something was definitely wrong now, she heard it loud and clear. "Jim, what's going on? What happened in the interview?" She asked, pressing for more information.

"We'll talk about it when I see you. Just please tell me how to get there." He pleaded.

"OK, but you should come in and meet all my friends, they're dying to meet my wonderful boyfriend." She said, hoping to lighten the mood.

"I really don't think now is the best time. I'll call you when I'm close." He told her and hung up.

Something was definitely wrong. Jim never acted like this. He never insisted they talk. In fact, it was always her who pressed for talks, not the other way around.

She arrived back at the table, plastering a huge fake smile on her face as she came into their line of sight.

"He's going to be here soon." She said, hoping she sounded light and happy.

"Do we get to meet him??" One of her friends asked excitedly.

"Actually, now's probably not a good time Ally. I think something happened in the interview and he jut really needs some alone time with me." She explained, hoping her excuse sounded believable.

They all muttered their apologies and finished lunch quickly, for Karen's sake. Her phone buzzed 15 minutes later. She stayed at the table this time. "Hi babe! Yeah, on my way out now!" She chirped over the line and clicked it shut. She quickly doled out goodbye hugs to her friends, desperately trying to keep the concern out of her eyes.

They all watched her go. "Why do I get the sneaking suspicion that we'll never meet Jim?" Ally asked aloud.

No one responded verbally, just quiet nods, all eyes on the door that Karen was now exiting.

She saw his car and hurried over, jumping in the passenger side, buckling her belt as she turned to him.

He was upset all right. But it wasn't the kind of upset she was expecting. She hadn't sent his look in a long time. This look… It made her sick to her stomach. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

They drove in silence. 15 minutes later, he pulled over and parked. She looked out the window. Central Park wasn't far.

They walked, neither speaking, one was unsure of what to say, the other didn't know how to begin. 

They found a bench overlooking a small pond just a little ways into the park. They sat next to each other, not touching, not even sitting all that close.

There was only a foot between them or so, but Karen felt like it might as well have been a mile.

After several moments, Jim summoned up the courage and began.

"I wasn't offered the job." He started, taking a moment to let her absorb that. She opened her mouth to speak but he stopped her.

"I wasn't offered the job because I told him I didn't want it." He went on, finally turning his gaze to her, his voice soft and calm.

Karen looked over at him for the first time. "What happened? You were so pysched about it, you were ready to do this, to take this step. And you just walked out? What were you thinking?!?" She demanded, her voice high and strained. He knew she was holding back from losing her temper.

"I don't want the job… I don't want to leave Scranton. I… I know you said there are one too many people there… But… I don't feel the same way, I'm sorry." He whispered.

Karen was at a loss for words. "You want to be with her. After everything she did, you want to be with her…" She finally slipped out.

"I don't want to be with her in spite of what she did. I want to be with her _because_ of what she did." He corrected.

She turned to him, her eyes confused and angry. "What she did… She just let it all show, she didn't show any self restraint at all… She embarrassed herself, and everyone there. She humiliated the whole group, especially me. She made us all feel about 2 inches tall. She said a lot of things, that, I'm sorry, I just wouldn't have ever said." She told him, struggling to keep from crying, trying hard to hold her head high.

He was quiet for several long moments. "Karen… Everything you just said… That's why… That's why I feel this way… She went out on limb, made a big gesture…" He explained.

"Big gesture?!! I MOVED for you!" She exclaimed, her hands up in the air out of frustration.

"I know. And that was big. But this… It's different. After I did what I did… Putting myself out there for her… Twice… I swore to myself that the only way I could ever be with her after that was if she did the same…. If she put it out on there, heart on the line… I told myself that if she did that, if she truly did that… I would know…" He trailed off.

Karen didn't bother to hold the tears back any longer. She was in pain, she was hurting, and she wanted him to know it was because of him, all of it. It was over. He wanted to be with Pam and Pam wanted to be with him. Her heart clenched in her chest. She had to know. If she was going to walk away from this, she had to know.

"I moved Jim… And not 24 hours ago, I told you I'd do it again. And you were right there, on board. And now, all of a sudden, you're turning the job down, telling me you want to stay in Scranton, and be with her. What happened? What changed?" She asked him, not letting him off the hook.

"Despite everything that happened… She put everything aside… I realized that all she wants is the best for me. Nothing else. She wants me to be happy. That's all." He choked out.

"I want that for you too, Jim. Don't you get that?" She returned, her voice full of raw emotion.

"I do get that. I know you want the best for me and that you want me to be happy. But you want me to be happy with you, in New York. And I just… I can't… I'm sorry." He finally finished.

They sat in total silence, the small space between them seemed like a gorge now. He was done. Pam had won. Game, set, match. And she didn't even have to be there to do it.

"You know, on some level… I think I probably knew… I guess that's why I wanted us out of Scranton so bad. I thought if I got you away from her, that you'd forget her. But I guess I was wrong." She quipped, unable to keep the sorrow out of her voice.

They sat for a few moments more. "Do you want a ride back to Scanton?" He asked, knowing she'd say know, but he still had to ask.

She shook her head. "No, I need time… To figure things out…" She replied slowly.

They both stood a moment later. "Will you be OK here?" He questioned.

"I'll be fine." She told him, her words short and to the point.

He hugged her, held her close, felt her body wrap around him, as if trying to commit him to memory.

With one final squeeze of the arm, he strode off. He'd barely made it 10 feet when she called to him.

"Hey, do me a favor?" She called out.

He turned and met her gaze.

"Don't invite me to the wedding." She requested solemnly, her eyes red and damp.

They stood there, staring at each other, and the silent recognition of Jim and Pam's future was agreed upon.

He nodded his head in agreement and didn't start walking until she turned back to the pond.

1 YEAR LATER

David Wallace was sorting through his mail when he came across an elegantly scripted envelope. He tore it open and scanned the lines, reading them softly aloud.

"Please join us in celebrating the marriage of James Halpert and Pamela Beesly…" He trailed off. He scanned further down and discovered the date of the wedding was three days into his family trip to Maui.

He thought for a moment and then reached into his desk drawer, towards the back. He pulled out the piece of paper he'd found on the floor a year ago.

He pulled out the response card, ticked the box that indicated he wouldn't be attending. Then he quickly penned a note, attached it to the year old memo slip and made sure it got to his secretary for mailing.

4 DAYS LATER

Pam was flopped on the couch, reviewing the seating chart when Jim came through the door, holding a take out bag in one hand and the mail in the other. "How's the seating chart coming Beesly?" He asked, leaning down to kiss her on the lips.

She returned the kiss and stood to follow him to the kitchen. "Good, but I need a break. What'd you bring me?" She asked, digging in the bag, pulling out fragrant boxes of Chinese.

"I love Fong's." She muttered, flipping open cartons and pulling out plates. He grinned at her as he flipped through the mail. He came to one of their invitation return envelopes.

He flipped it over and ran his thumb under the sealed side and extracted the contents.

"Who's it from?" She asked curiously.

"David Wallace." He replied, handing her the guest card to add to their list. He unfolded the other piece of paper and found a note and a memo slip. He read the note first.

_Dear Jim-_

_Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Sorry I can't make it. But I sent this as a gift, thinking you might want it, seeing as it obviously provoked a major change in your life. Seems as though you chose to not to forget her…_

_Good luck._

_David_

Jim smiled and flipped open the memo. He ran his fingers over her words and the gold yogurt lid, the memories of a year ago flooding his mind. He was glad to have it in his possession again. He'd looked for it for weeks before finally coming to the conclusion that he must've dropped it somewhere. He'd never thought it had ended up in his CFO's office.

"What did he say?" She questioned, pulling him back to reality.

Wordlessly, he handed her the note and the memo. Moments later, she looked up, tears in her eyes.

"This… This is probably the best wedding gift ever." She whispered as she encircled her arms around his neck and pulled him down to kiss her.

"Agreed."

So there ya go… Thoughts? Cake? Money? Dr. Pepper? (We're almost out.)


End file.
